Israeli defence minister to hold 'critical' talks in US on Gaza and Lebanon
The Guardian|June 24, 2024
Israel's defence minister has flown to meet senior Biden administration officials in Washington for what he has described as "critical" talks over the conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Peter Beaumont
Israeli defence minister to hold 'critical' talks in US on Gaza and Lebanon

Yoav Gallant, accompanied by the Israel Defense Forces deputy chief of staff, will meet the US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, as well as the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and Joe Biden's special envoy, Amos Hochstein.

Gallant's visit comes as Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeated his claim that the Biden administration has presided over a "dramatic drop" in arms shipments to Israel in recent months, a charge that has angered US officials, who have described it as "perplexing". In a statement yesterday, Netanyahu reiterated his resistance to ending the war in Gaza - one of Hezbollah's conditions for de-escalation - while Hamas is still in place.

Gallant, describing his visit, said: "During these meetings I plan to discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon. These [discussions] are particularly important and impactful at this time. We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon and in additional areas."

Some Israeli officials have linked a push into Rafah - the southern area of Gaza where it says it is targeting the last battalions of Hamas - to a potential refocus on the border with Lebanon, where escalating exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah have increased fears of a wider war.

This story is from the June 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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This story is from the June 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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